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This must have been a case of mistaken identity, Tsugumi didn't recognise this girl at all.

He racked his brain to try and see if he could recall. Firstly he thought of his previous high school; he had purposefully kept as few friends as possible and was careful to maintain his appearance as just an acquaintance to the rest of the student body. Her face didn't seem particularly familiar and didn't seem to resemble anyone he really knew, let alone those he was on speaking terms with. He had also made sure to never actually meet any siblings of his classmates either except for passing in the school corridors or maybe even small talk lasting a few sentences or longer.

With all that said, he moved onto the next viable option - children of his guardians ex's. Aunt Arakawa had a string of former lovers with varying degrees of success to say the least, however there was a few that the two of them both actively tried to forget about. Now although the fact that this person may have recognised him through that means, there was no way Tsugumi recognised her, and without Naoko to verify this matter, he only had one option, end the conversation. Throughout his life, he had learned the best ways to go overlooked and avoid unwanted drama. The best way was to be forgettable. Being too nice or to cruel in this situation would only create an unwanted reputation, so blandness and vagueness was the order of the day.
"I'm sorry, I don't know who you are. There's a lot of people here, I think you must have gotten me mistaken with someone else."

He shook is head for an added effect while giving an apologetic look on his face. It was a very specific look he had examined from students who worked in retail who were dealing with a very difficult customer and gently trying to persuading them to finish their order and to go and darken someone else's door.

Then again with that said; there was no real way for him to actively get out of this situation on a train like this, especially with the Principal up there. Depending on what this stranger wanted, Tsugumi could just roll with it as for all he knew there could be a notable chance that he never saw her again.

For one reason or another, the young woman seemed troubled by that answer, even though on a fundamental level she seemed to agree with it.

"But I still can't shake the feeling..."

Sighing, more disappointed in herself than anything you had said, the young woman adjusts herself in her seat, turning her body completely to face you as if she had suddenly decided this conversation was going to go on for a bit longer now that you had asked her a question in return out of what ultimately amounted to social obligation. Dressed in jeans, t-shirt, and black jacket, with a form that hinted at a vaguely muscular stature, the most notable thing about the young woman wasn't her casual choice of clothing in this sort of environment, but rather, the fact that her hands were bound with bandages, or rather, the sort of hand bandage-like material that was commonly used by boxers and mixed martial artists.

Her silver bracelet was also far more personalized than those possessed by everyone else on the train, "Northern Cross Academy: Mizuki" emblazoned along it's surface even as she wore it more as an armband than as a bracelet.

"Then again, my memory's got a history of being a bit faulty, amnesia episode a few years back," shaking her head, as if the physical act of doing such a thing would also help her shake off whatever dregs of memories she was apparently dealing with, the young woman's expression goes from slightly troubled one moment, to that of a tomboyish smile the next, "So yeah, sorry for bugging ya I guess, the name's Yamamoto Mizuki, 3rd Year, martial artist, student babysitter to a certain vampire principal who wants me to make more friends."

Extending her hand, as if meaning for you to shake it, the young woman's smile is certainly friendly, if a bit... Inexperienced, as if she wasn't used to such expressions.

"Nice to meetcha."

Last edited by Airen; August 16th, 2017 at 08:20 PM.

Spoiler:

Death is nothing but a disease.
But it is one that often comes from all sides.
An end like that is coming, and yet here you are.

Tell me.

Could you kill someone you love for the sake of everyone else?

What a cynical worldview, Messiah.
Real heroes would find a different answer.

It was hard to tell exactly when the principal took certain actions. Listening to the chatter of the other students as your efforts bear fruit and you click the ever distant send button on your newfound cellular device, there's a moment, a single brief nanosecond, in which you think (it was quite possible you had imagined it) you see the principal's eyes divert down to seat in front of her, but it's over in a blink, and in that same blink...

Director Nagatani

Oh? Is that so?

A response has come in.

The woman's multi-tasking skills are vaguely horrifying; posing her questions to the Ms. Florence, while simultaneously texting you back, and listening for other questions in the slowly growing roar of the train car, the really scary part is that she doesn't seem to be putting forth much focus at all, or rather...

Her focus was so complete, she could look at (and keep track of) everything in front of her at once.

Director Nagatani

If that's the case. Perhaps I can serve as a worthy opponent instead, while it's doing it's best to catch it's breath.
Would you like to play a game?
It's like a test of focus and endurance, we'll see who stops playing first.

And now she was challenging you to a vague 'game,' all while still awaiting the questions of other students...

And you got the feeling she was doing it because...

You were being too quiet for her tastes...

...The kind of teacher that picks on the quiet kid, just because they happen to be the one who is, most likely, actually not paying attention.

...It was almost bully-esque.

Last edited by Airen; August 16th, 2017 at 07:45 PM.

Spoiler:

Death is nothing but a disease.
But it is one that often comes from all sides.
An end like that is coming, and yet here you are.

Tell me.

Could you kill someone you love for the sake of everyone else?

What a cynical worldview, Messiah.
Real heroes would find a different answer.

Anyway... I brought all your stuff to your dorm room yesterday, and I'm watching over things now, so you don't have to worry about anything.

Loosen up and enjoy the ride a bit, it's one of those rare off duty days.

Lucas pocketed the phone after the exchange.

While he was appreciative of Hailey looking out for him, and trying to help him relax, he emitted a groan as if she had proposed him to deal with a grizzly armed with his bare fists. Reading the hidden message made him grimace.

Show some common sense, will you?

He couldn't help but feel like berating her for asking the impossible. If she had been there, he would have given her the u srs? look. Lucas pictured her smiling face encouraging him to go mingle with the students, and actually felt like he could actually punch a bear.

After all, how could someone deprived of basic social skills and fundamental subtlety, as well as being unable to read the proper timing to enter a conversation, could ever hope to engage in a friendly chat with anyone? Especially strangers.

Lucas tried to gain focus as he eyed carefully his future schoolmates. It's not like he had never seen Hailey interacting with people their ages. But somehow, he assumed her approach would not fit him. She always had that confident and friendly mask in front of others.

This is useless.

One, he didn't give enough of a fuck to go through the effort of faking a persona.

Two, he was not that kind of performer, who could sway the masses with their hypocritical smile.

Three, his true personality would come out at some point anyway, destroying any kind of effort.

Without the will nor the skill to turn himself into a facsimile of his best friend, the option was out. Trying to bullshit through a conversation would be ineffective, so what was left? Lucas doubted his professional facade would work on people in this situation. He had no intention of making friends but introducing himself early would facilitate later exchanges. If they were to live and be taught together, basic interaction would be expected.

Still pondering over the most efficient way to manage that, Lucas got up and walked towards the back of the car. Maybe the inspiration would come to him if he went on a stroll.

Moving without really thinking about it, pondering questions to which you have no real answers, it's a vague feeling of frustration that follows you throughout the growing noise of the train cars. The students that had been sleeping were slowly but steadily coming to life, and while there was certainly an overwhelming sense of awkwardness amongst the majority of them, they were still managing to put up a social front that someone like you...

Couldn't really match... At least not for any significant length of time.

Hailey seemed to believe that it all came down to inexperience, perhaps, if you simply took the time to practice, you'd be more easily able to slip into the confines of a normal life, but...

That kind of thought was probably...

Just idealism on her part.

The principal's voice follows you throughout the cars, coming on over the speakers even though she could be heard from the open doors connecting train car to train car. The students in the second car weren't any different from the first, all of them coming to 'life' now that the sun was rising over the forested horizon, but while your walk is slow, purposefully facilitated to give you as much time to think about the pain-in-the-ass task that ultimately awaited you in the future...

You don't have that much space for a stroll.

Standing with her back to the door leading to the third car, the only student that wasn't in a chair, and, in fact, seemed to be purposefully barring this second exit, was-

"..."

-A young woman with silent eyes.

...Sleipnir.

You could tell from everything about her presence. While she was standing with her back to the door and her arms crossed, her eyes were lit with attention and a sharp sense of focus, and even though the other students were talking and laughing...

She... Was not.

Not even the crack of a smile.

And her position on the door, one that refuses to budge even as you approach, and maintains perfect balance even as the car occasionally lurches, is one that silently declares 'this is the end of the line.'

Even so...

"...Swollen eye?"

Eyes flickering to your own...

"...Here."

She holds a water-bottle (half-frozen) out for you to take.

Yes...

Not only was she guarding the door, but...

It seemed that she was also...

Watching over a drink cooler.

Last edited by Airen; August 16th, 2017 at 08:44 PM.

Spoiler:

Death is nothing but a disease.
But it is one that often comes from all sides.
An end like that is coming, and yet here you are.

Tell me.

Could you kill someone you love for the sake of everyone else?

What a cynical worldview, Messiah.
Real heroes would find a different answer.

Yuuki had tried to put the girl besides him to the back of his mind during this train ride.

One would have thought that living with a girl for two years would have eased him to interact with girls, but that is sadly not the case for someone like him; even now, he always felt awkward and self-conscious around girls whose name is not Evelyn. That is why he felt quite relieved and thankful when the girl was asleep for most of the train ride.

Now though, the girl is finally awake, and seems to be messing around with tarot cards. Interesting to be sure, but Yuuki is content to leave her to her own devices...

Putting the uncomfortable feeling of being observed by a girl aside, Yuuki begin to weigh his options, carefully considering whether to accept the girl's offer or not. And his answer is--

"... Sure." He replied after a few seconds of silence. He did not believe in fortune telling, true, but in a train filled with people with supernatural powers such a mundane thing as fortune telling has a higher chance of being legitimate; he is also fascinated to a certain degree with tarot cards, so he saw no reason to refuse the girl's offer.

Besides, this would be a good chance to get acquainted with someone else, along with improving his social skills a little when it came to girls. Not that his skill with boys is much better in that regard.

That being said...

"I'm Watanabe Yuuki." He began, fidgeting a little before asking the question that has been on the back of his mind since the girl spoke. "If you don't mind me asking... how could you tell that I'm a Strange Red?"

The reason why he asked that question is simple: Watanabe Yuuki dislikes attention, which means he would try to keep the fact that he is a Strange Red a secret. He needs to know whether it is actually rather easy or obvious to tell that he is 'different' or 'special' from the others, and depending on the answer it would have an impact on what he can expect in the future.

If it is, then he'd have to hope that he can blend in well enough to avoid too much attention.

If not, then the girl has successfully grabbed his attention even more.

... Hopefully the girl is kind enough to answer as she told his fortune.

Lucas felt a gaze on his back for a fleeting moment as he left the first car. It was nothing particularly subtle, as if the vigilant being simply wished to make Lucas aware that he couldn't walk away unless granted permission. The trained young man stopped, allowing his instincts to dictate the best course of action. Without turning around, he waited for a couple of heartbeats.

Lucas knew that the Principal of Northern Cross Academy, and now his Boss; had been studying each of the students with interest during the whole trip. She had received reports, and knew what to expect of each of them. Nobody could escape her attention, not even an evasion adept like Lucas. She probably wanted to emphasize that point.

As if he had been given clearance through silence, Lucas proceeded further down.

It only took him second to forget any thought about Nagatani Isako. His mind was focused on another matter entirely, one he would most likely not solve within the time frame left before their arrival in Tomobiki.

Unions were slowly rising with the sun. Sound had started to rise in echo to the past car's. Adolescents checking their belongings, examining the items they had been given recently, looking out the windows, putting on coats and blazers in preparation for the morning chill that awaited at the train station.

Not all of them, seemed ready to tackle the new day in a place they had never visited. It was there. Doubt. Anxiety. Wariness. All of that changed for enthusiasm, excitement... as laughter erupted here and there only to be interrupted by curious chatter.

As he passed rows, Lucas marveled once more at how expressive human beings could be. These were indeed facial expressions he had seen many times.

Yet, it never ceases to amaze.

Hailey's words resonated painfully in his mind as he saw a girl offering some sort of cookies to a boy who was looking at her with envy.

Neither of them could have noticed the distress behind Lucas' mask. Not even the person with whom he had shared so much with could understand. She was a gentle soul who had a positive outlook on life, so it was only logical for her to come up with such a solution. Yet, it would never come to be.

Nothing short of desperate measures could ever trigger a change.

Which meant that he was currently stuck in a loop about how to deal with other people. Adding to the hurdle itself, students had started to form groups already, or would soon, making the whole ordeal even more depressing.

Lucas saw both his train of thinking and his actual walk cut short by the obstacle in front of him.

A lone girl, contrasting from the rest of the car occupants. In a position that dictated she would not allow access. A quick overlook confirmed Lucas' suspicion. The confident posture and ever attentive stare both giving him pause.

Another Sleipnir.

Lucas contemplated his options.

He could either go back or start an argument. While he was rarely interested in following Sleipnir every rules, Lucas knew that two agents bickering over something as stupid as that wouldn't generate more than a headache and a summoning. In fact, it might even undermine Sleipnir's authority in the eyes of the freshly arrived Unions.

On top of that, Lucas was in no mood for that. He was ready to turn heels when she talked. Lucas eyed her with suspicions as she produced a bottle of water. After a second, he reached for the plastic container. With an awkward and careful movement, he managed to grab onto it, making sure none of his fingers would touch hers. Not quite looking at her, he addressed a vague nod, before applying the cold to his face.

After a while, he spoke up.

"Thought I would be the only Sleipnir."

The tone was devoid of emotions but implied a note of melancholy.

For Lucas, becoming a Union after serving Sleipnir for so long was far from being an excruciating experience. On the contrary, he found that his personal goal could only be reached after becoming one.

However, he was far from the norm.

When people who had been trained to hunt certain individuals were to switch side as an irony of fate, who could blame them for cursing their own existences? Those who had been the protectors had become the offenders. Their sole existence endangering humanity now. It wouldn't be enough to deal with the guilt of so many blood spilled, one would become the one to bleed. Someone absolutely convinced their actions were right for so long, what would they think after discovering their infection? How would one cope with that? Lucas didn't know. But it certainly would not be pleasant.

"The name's Lucas."

While he wasn't eager to thank her yet, he could at least give her that much.

Yeah, they really spoil the students here! Everyone was given one...
I'm a little jealous of how much money the Agency seems to have...

Anyways, are you close?

I'm waiting at the station to pick you up.

Were we close? I think we are... Who would know about how close we are to the school? Was there a way for me to find out on my phone?

Originally Posted by Principal

...changing the color of items is a relatively mundane bit of sorcery. If this is the only complaint I get, I'll happily change them all."

While I was thinking about it, the principal was talking about changing our phones colors... That's it. Maybe she would know if we're close. I got up from my secluded section of the train and started walking up to the principal. If anyone started giving me funny looks, I didn't really notice... Because I was thinking about what color I should change my phone into. Silver? But I'll blind myself in the sunlight... Grey is... too plain. Not silver but not grey... Oh! That works.

I stopped in front of the principal before holding out my phone for her to take.

"White. Close?"

For people hearing my voice for the first time, it was very soft. Easy to miss if you weren't paying attention especially with my terse speaking, but surprisingly melodic. Despite that, I knew the principal heard me and understood me without a doubt. If I was asked why... I just know. She seemed to be that kind of person.

Memorable Out of Context Quotes

<cellorange> 3 hours of sleep is plenty

<@ Lian|work> I'm a dead fish, I just wait for things to happen to me

<Reiu> yours is big enough I3uster

<Reiu> idk ever since the night I3uster stayed over I haven't been sleeping well

<Ayakashi> I'm not drunk, I just drink myself to sleep D:

<KnightTurtle> it took me a year to understand that infinite stratos was bad

The woman seemed troubled but in her current state I noticed a few things; the hints at a muscular build, the bandages on her hands - this person wasn't 'just' a student but a fighter. It wasn't like fighters like these to get troubled over simple things like mistaken identity

Originally Posted by ???

"Then again, my memory's got a history of being a bit faulty, amnesia episode a few years back,"

That struck something of a cord with Tsugumi, his memory of about 5 months ago was a bit foggy and as far as he knew, only one other person knew about that. Now two people who had amnesia meeting up could easily be a coincidence but two Drive patients with one of whom recognising the other? If that was a coincidence then it was too slim for his liking.

Was this important? Probably. Was he going to talk about it? No.

Originally Posted by Yamamoto Mizuki

So yeah, sorry for bugging ya I guess, the name's Yamamoto Mizuki, 3rd Year, martial artist, student babysitter to a certain vampire principal who wants me to make more friends."

"Nice to meetcha."

Her hand was slow, hesitant, nervous. She may be smiling now but to Tsugumi it seemed to have a nervous shake to it. Either she was scared of him (which was utterly preposterous) or she was more troubled by this than she was going to admit to him. Formalities however were formalities as he extended his own hand and gently shook it.

A chill ran through Lori’s back as she saw Nina’s answer. What she meant was something akin to recruiting the top ten doctors in the whole world to solve the issue. Lori quickly started writing a reply, without allowing herself any delay. Between starring in an international incident again and the tracking device, she’d take the tracking, thank you very much.

To Nina

No, it is just a bracelet, no need to call the doctors over it. I’m fine.

I’ll deal with it.

Somehow. Not very enthused about the whole thing to be honest.

But on a happier note, I already found two persons of interest in the first day. Quite promising!

After writing that last message, Lori’s eyes ran over the car, briefly noting the boy who stood up and walked away, before looking around for more interesting people. Or rather, people with interesting bits of the supernatural with them.

quotes

Originally Posted by Mike1984

Besides, I don't see what's so terrible about looting anyway. It's only property, they're not actually harming anyone.

Originally Posted by lantzblades

when I say hero I don't mean hero in the spirit sense. I mean a morally grounded, good natured person who doesn't slaughter innocent people. No such person exists in the Nasuverse.

[19:33] <@Airen> I like vampires!

[00:12] <~Katie> i can't defy my origin
[00:12] <~Katie> of gay memes

[22:56] <@Sei> airen is pegging hero this time
[22:56] <@Sei> for once airen isn't the uke
[22:56] <@Kuroyuki> I thought Air was the Woman in the Relationship?
[22:56] <@Airen> Yeah I kinda thought I was the girl too!